Auto-trailer



R. s. BEAMISH AND H. G. SCHAEFER.

AUTO TRAILER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30. 1911.

Patented Feb. 17,1920.

2 SHEETSRZSHEET 1.

R. S/BEAMISH AND H. e. SCHAEFER.

AUTO TRAILER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 30,1917.

v1 ,33 1 ,4 1 O. Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

2 SHEETSS HEET 2.

E f/Z27??? gik, I

UNITED Emergence nonnn'r s. BEAMISH AND HERMAN G. seamen} strummin ,MINNESOTA.

'AU'ro-rnsiLEn. T

of our vehicle, together with the combination of parts,makes the trailer very durable,

light in weight and-easily handled in back of an automobile.

In using a trailer with an'automobile, it is essential thatthetrailer be easily steered soas to follow the propelling or preceding vehicle and still be of a light durable construction to reduce the idraft on'the motor vehicle to a minimum. To this end, we

have designed 'our trailer with a'peculiar arrangement of parts having steering means which is durable for various uses and which will cause the trailer to track with the vehicle pulling it without swaying from side to side.

The principal objects and features will be clearlyset forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 illustrates a plan view of our trailer, a portion of which is broken away, attached to an auto.

Fig. 2-is a side elevation of our trailer, a portion of which is broken away.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of a portion of the trailer or vehicle taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are detail portions of the construction of the trailer;

In'the drawing A represents a trailer having front wheels 1 and rear wheels 2 which are mounted in the usual way on the axles 3 and 4 respectively. The front axle 3 is connected with the rear axle 4 by the reach 5 which is made preferably of tubing being flattened at 6 and connected by means of the bolts 7 to the hounds 8. The hounds 8"are securedtothe rear axle 4 by means of'the bolts'9.

The reach -5 is flattened on its: forward end so as to form a U shaped portion 10.

The U shaped portion 10 of the reach 5 engages the front axle 3 and the axle 3 is held in the U shaped member by means of Specification of lctters l fatentd Applicationfiled November 30,1917. senarmzeoame.

the block; 115 which is formedof any suitable material and :is-held. by the bolt '12; The block-11 isof such dimension as tozengage firmly against a portion of the axle to hold the same rigidly-in thevU shaped portion '10 and the bolt 12 clamping the block 11 between thdends of' theU shaped portion 10. The block 11 ,isbf thesame width as the fiattened'U shaped portion 10. The bands or collarl3 positioned on either side of the forward end of the reach-5 and rigidly se- 'cured'tothe axlec3 by means of the :bolts 14, hold the forward .end of the reach 51 cenitrallyIon-the axle 3. Itis understood-how- .ever, wliileit is not illustrated in the drawings, that the forward endv ofithe reach 5 can I be'irigidlysecured o'r-b'olted to the axle 3 :in

the-ordinarymannerw 1 7 'i f Steering knuckles 15 are pivotallysecured 'toi'the fork ends'116 of the axle 3 -in*the usual 'manner and their-operating arms-:17

p'ivotally'connected at 18 to the 1318-011131 allelirod '19, thereby connecting'the steering knuckles together by, the" tie rod19. -An additional .arm'20is provided which is similar in'function to .the arm 17 and is connected to theisteerin'g knuckle bolts, and the bolt connecting the ends' of the arm :17 to the rod 19. r .1 I The-trailer A: is provided with a frame portion B whichis of ordinary construction 'and'is connnected' with the front and back "axlesby means of four springs 22 in the ordinary mannerythe frame B being only illustrative andit being understood that any shape or style body or box'can be attached to the running gear. The rear wh'eels 2 are provided withband'brakes 23 which are of ordinary construction and'which are operated by means of the operating mechanism C. The mechanism G-is composed of the 31*so' that when the handle 24 is drawn backward,"the brake arms 31 will be operated and [the brakes 23 act upon the brake drums of the wheels 2 in'the usual manner of the-rods 30 to the brake operating levers to retard the movementof the trailer. When 1 the trailer A is used in connection with. an automobile E and 1s. secured thereto, as

illustratd'"in Fig? 1, the 'link27 isadapted to be connected to the brake rods or meeharnism of the auto or propelling vehicle E: by

means of. the cables 32,,one end of. which is connected to the linl'ror lever 27", and'tli'e other end connected rto the brake mocha-"j ingi'its ends-=34 turned" down and is secured to a diametrieally extendingangleplate by the rivets 36; The member 33 1s'- arovlded withi a'-centrally;positionediand re i'allyiextending::memlie1r37 whiclr is'a'igidly secured on one'end to itli'e z-mem'ben' 33 by the :rivetrfiS and "onrthe other-end to the' angle 'member by "the rivct"39: The member-'33 is 'pivotally secured-to-thee'reaclr5 by meansof the' bolt lfl vvhiel'r extnds throu gh' the opening 411111 the "angle'memberififi and through" art opening formedt'ini'the" bloclo or: spacing member 11. The belt 40 beingheld'fin'position" by ineanszofithenuts lfl u The memben33 ispirotally eonneeted'to the=tie 10d'19"b V'111QflnS0{ tl1G collar 43 which isirigidly secured to the tiered in any-suitable-manner such as brazing or weldihg. The collars?) is form'ed'avit-h' extendingfrends l4 througin which the I bolt; 45 passes i freely. The li'ol t' l5 alsorpasses freely through the op'eni1'1g746--formedzin thennember 37 there by pivotally' connecting the tie rod! .l9 to th'e member 33.

Secured" to the vertical side' of; the:angle plate-35 isapair of-ears t8wvhich are held rigidly' to the platc by therivets &9 or any othcr' suitable means; A draft tongue formedof channel iron ispivotally con nectedito th'e'ca-rsor-comurctions 48 by means of'therod 51 which is oforrlinary construction; 'l h'e'd-rwft tongue 50 is substantially V -sha pedwithabowed sides 52;. it transverse brace 53-h: rigidly fixed between thesides 52 and oxte1rds=across the tonguc-50 noun it with-amengaging eye :76 on its forward. end

amd apcollac' 5"Z'just back. of-lthe eye; A coil spiingrfi8nis positioned on the-rod 55--and is interposalzbetween thc collain 5iZ-Iand the ex" treme foiward'encl of the-itongn'e' The bolt-.55--is.-1ong'enongh so that it projects beyo'nd tlia brace53rand the projecting portion ins-positiomom-theebolt by'the-n uts 60. By

means' ofs' the'znuts' 60, the.- tension .ot the trailer connection in stopping.

hold the bolt 55 to the tongue with the desired tension on the springs 58 and. 59. One of the nuts 60 acts as alock'niit'after the adjustment is made. Thus the springs 58 and 59 act as cushions in the use of the trailer A as they will eliminate. a. goodficleal ofthe jar and jerk on the trailer when the same is attached to the auto E. The spring 59 acts as the cushion in the forward pull of the auto and the springbScushions the 1-111 useg whenthe tongue-50 is attached to a motor-"vehicle E, such as is-illustrated Fig: 1, the ftongue-50iwi'll-not only: serve as the connectinglink:between the trailer'and the motor vehicle but willoperate the steering mechanism D-Whiclr is pivotally' connected tothetrailer and therebysteer the wheels 1 in substantially the 'same direction as the'motor vehicle is proceeding. The cushions formecl-byithe springs 58 and 59 takeoff the jar and!jerlosinrstopping'and starting asisso OfllGnl necessary in the use of'a' trailerthrougheroi'vded s'treetsn The mechanism D is very -compact'aiid simple-and; it-T WllT b'G' noted it. is entirely within the bounds-ofa'the-frontf axle-and: directly under the 'forward endoffthe reach,

out of theway" s'oitliat' a very short draft tonguecanibe"a1sod; still in operation, it'is veryeffecuive without any "lost motion. \Vhen the segment on member '33'is' moved by the tongue-50in a-hori'llontal plane'in either direction 'fi'om the central position, as illiistmted' in' Fig. 1, the tie rod' l9'togather Witlr'its connecting parts, is moved in the direction in which the tongue-is tnrn'e'd. 1

In makinira trailer after the construction illustrated, it is evident that-the same can lie-made; lightbr'and stilh-be very durable in use: The axlcs'i-l and-4- are fixed parallel to each OLl'IGUtOtllG frame portion B thus'simplif ving-the constructionof the trailerinatciiall,

Ti lie-brakingmechanism C is constructed that it can be operated either on he trailer or by the operation of thebrakes 'on the precedin'gi'e'hicli. By connecting-the cables: to thc bra-kingz mechanism F ofthe preceding vehicle in a 11y suitable inanncr, only aportion'of'the' auto Ff being illustratezlin the drawings, as the connecting maansof the cables with the braking-mechanisniof: the same :would berof'ordinary construction. By connecting the braking mechanism otthe trailer A- with the: preceding vehicle w very" important." result is accomplished, as in the usenofrthe: trailerin descending any grades, Where the trailer is heavily loaded. itunig ht be very: disastrous ifi brakes were; not applied; In the use-10f oardevice where the braking mechani'sm of the: trailer" is: connected! with =the mechanism of precedin-grvehinle, when the preceding vehicle brake mechanism is operated, the brake mechanism of the trailer is simultaneously operated, thereby governing the trailer automatically from the preceding vehicle. lhe steeringconstruction or mechanism D of our trailer, together with the coupling or draft tongue, allow the trailer to be connected very closely to the automobile and still afford easy turning of the same which is a very desirable feature in trailers.

lin accordance with the patent statutes, we have described the principles of operation of our invention, together with the apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but we desire to have it understood that theconstruction is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims:

1. In a tailor having front and rear axles, a reachdetachably connected to the front axle, hounds detachably connecting said reach with the rear axle, steering means connecting the steering Wheels of said trailer, a semicircular member positioned below the forward end of said reach, an angle plate fixed to the ends of said semicircular portion, aradius arm centrally connected to said sen'iicircular member and said angle u'ieinber, means pivotally connecting said radius arm to said reach to hold semicircular member pivotally below said reach, means pivotally connecting said steering means to said radius arm back of said pivot point which holds said semicircular member, the diameter of said semicircular portion and the length of said angle plate being approximately the same as the length of the front axle and a draw tongue connected. to sa1d angle member which is adapted to pull said trailer and operate said steering means.

2. ln a trailer, having front and rear axles, a reach rigidly connected to the front axle, hounds rigidly connecting said reach with the rear axle, steering means connecting the steering wheels of said trailer, a semicircular member positioned horizontally below the forward end of said reach and pivoted back of said front axle to said reach, a radius arm centrally ixed to said semicircular member, means connecting the steering; means of the steering wheels to said radius are), an angle plate fixed to said semicircular portion and a tongue connected to said angle plate whereby when said tongue is attached to a preceding vehicle,

connectin said semi-circular member with the steering knuckles of the front wheels of said trailer, whereby when the draw I tongue is connected to said angular member it is adapted to move said semi-circular member in a direction to steer said trailer.

a. A trailer, including front and rear axles held parallel to each other, a detach? able reach connecting said axles, a semi; circular steering member having a radially extending arm, an angular member connecting the forward ends of said semi-circular member so as to extend across the diameter of said semicircular member, means pivotally connecting said semi-circular memher through said annular member and radially extending member so as to hold said semi-circular member with said angular member directly below and in line with the front axle of said trailer, means connecting said semi-circular member with the steering knuckles of the front wheels of said trailer and a draw tongue connected to said angular member, whereby said trailer can be pulled and simultaneously steered by said semicircular member.

5. The combination with a trailer, including a steering means, comprising a semicircular member pivotally held below the front axle and reach of said trailer so as to extend horizontally below the reach, an angle member extending across the dial eter or said semi-circular member, a radially extending arm centrally positioned in said semicircular member, steering means connected to said radial arm and to the front wheels of said trailer and a draw tongue pivotally connected to said diametrically tending angular member, said angular member being positioned directly below the front axle of said trailer.

nonnnr's. seamen, nnnnan o. sonanrnn. 

